Mechanism for feeding clothespins



Feb. 14, 1933. J. R NOLAN MECHANISM FOR FEEDING CLOTHESPINS OriginalFiled Feb. 20, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet Feb. 14, 1933. J. R. NOLAN 1,897,070

MECHANISM FOR FEEDING CLOTHESPINS Original Filed Feb. 20, 1929 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 14, 1933. J, R NOLAN 1,897,070

MECHANISM FOR FEEDING CLOTHESPINS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Feb.20, 1929 Feb. 14, 1933. J. R. NOLAN 1,897,070

MECHANISM FOR FEEDING CLOTHESPINS Original Filed Feb. 20, 1929 4SheetsSheet 4 u H l ail I 5,6 m n '21 5 E6 w PJMMF H V 1 I w C J 2? C Ianion.

i v Uh 55 l Jo/WO EJ-EM Patented Feb. 14, 1933 UNlTED STATES PATENTOFFICE JOHN R. NOLAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MECHANISM FOR FEEDING CLOTHESPIN S Refiled for abandoned applicationSerial No. 341,355. filed February 20, 1929.

Serial No. 437,586.

March 20, 1930.

This invention relates to means for transferring forked clothespins froma hopper, or other source of supply, to a suitable receiving station insuch a manner that the clothes- 5 pins are positioned at the stationwith the transverse slot of each succeeding pin occupying a definiteplane radially of the pin.

The invention has been especially, though not exclusively, designed foruse in connection with the receiving station of a machine for applyingreinforcing wire to clothespins, such, for example, as disclosed inPatent No.

1,799,698, dated April 7, 1931, wherein a skeleton hopper to which theclothespins are manually supplied in superposed relation, is employed,said hopper overlying the receiving station and having avertically-disposed blade effective to guide the bifurcated ends of theclothespins in their descent and ensure their proper delivery to thestation.

The principal object of my present inven tion is automatically totransfer succeeding clothespins from a suitable source of supply to thereceiving station of the machine with 5 the slots of the respective pinsuniformly positioned for delivery to the wire applying devices.

lVith this object in view, and others which w'll appear, my inventionembodies novel ele- 9 ments and combinations which will be here inafterdescribed; the scope of the invention then being defined in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion 5 of aclothespin reinforcing machine equipped with a form of clothespinfeeding mechanism embodying the principle of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the machine, as on the line22 of Fig. 1.

40 Fig. 3 is a transverse section, as on the line 3-3 of Fig. l, a partof the hopper wall being broken away.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the feeding mechanism, as on the line4- l of Fig. 3. 5 Fig. 5' is a similar view of a modified form of thefeeding mechanism, showing the parts in the relative positions whichthey occupy when a clothespin has been moved into registry with apositioning blade on an inter 50 mittently rotatable transfer wheel.

This application filed spirally-ribbed roll is employed to advance eachsucceeding clothespin into registry with.

its opposing blade.

Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical section, as on the line 99 of Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates the bed of a form of clothespinreinforcing machine selected to illustrate my invention. 11 designatesan elongated guide structure comprising two aligning channelortroughlike sections supported on andlongitudinally of the bed. Thisstructure is adapted to be supplied at one end thereof with succeedingclothespins (C) extending longitudinally of and parallel to thestructure, which clothespins are intermittently advanced end to endalong the structure to a station where reinforcing wire is applied toeach succeeding pin adjacent the crotch of its legs. In the presentinstance, the clothespins, as and when they are successively positionedin the guide structure, are advanced by a horizontally reciprocatingplunger 12 which is connected to the upper end of a vertical lever 13,the lower end of which is operatively connected by means of a rod 14with a cam 15 on the main shaft 16 of the machine. The mechanism forapplying the wire includes a vertically-reciprocative head 17 which iscarried by a vertical plunger 18 under the control of a cam 19 on themain shaft, all as fully described in the pending application aforesaid.

20 designates a clothespin source of'supply which in the formillustrated comprises a magazine or hopper supported'a suitable distanceabove the receiving structure. This'hopper is constructed, and adaptedto contain a mass of clothespins arranged in parallelism, orsubstantially so, to the guide structure and with their bifurcated endsextending in the same direction.

end of the vguide 55 transfer wheel 21 designates a transfer elementinterposed between the throat of the hopper and the top of the guidestructure, which element is adapted to convey the clothespinssuccessively from the hopper to said structure in such a. manner thatwhen the clothespins are deliveredto the latter their legs are correspoingly located as respects the plane of the slots between the legs theplunger 12 with their slots in alignment. In the form herein illustratedthis transfer .element comprises a-wheel or drum having its: axis ofrotation directly aboveand par- 15 allel totheguide structure,theperiphery of the wheelbeing formed with equally spaced grooves 22 w ichareparallel to its axis of rotation and areada'pted-to be successivelysupplied with'the'superposed clothespins as f ao the grooves progressbeneath the a hopper.

The wheel, which is substantially a long as aclothespin, is so arrangedin relation to'the v the wheel extends" hopper thatone end of; somewhatbeyond the slide of the hopper 25' where'theforked ends ofthe pins aresituated, and consequently the opposite end of the wheel is spaced inwardly: from the other side of'the hopper, as seen in Figs. 9 1 ethepresent' instance the-transfer wheel "is fast" on a ssuitably-disposedstandards 2a; on the guide "structure; The endof theshaft adjacent the vertically reciprocative head'l'? is'extended andtheextension'is providedwith a ratchet whee1 25withthe teeth of whichengages 'a pawl 26 'on a' rock arm 27 loose on "A'pin 28 projects fromthe head 17 into'an V opening 29;in-the' rock-arm,

ing each reciprocation of the head the rock 40 arm is oscillated inaverticalarc', thereby ..causing the pawl to actuate theiratch'et' wheeland correspondingly move thertransfer wheel. The parts just, describedare so protimedthat each;- step of the ratchet wheel is effectedduringthe: descent of-the head 17 that ,the' peri heral' travel of thetransfer'wheelisequaltothe distance between two adj acent grooves, andthat in eachdwell of the wheela grooveis-located at fthe bottom of thewheel I and immediately above and parallel to the'guide structure. Inthe ascent of thehead 17 and the pawl bearing rocker arm 27-,the'ratchet wheel is-at rest. Other suitable means for actuating the maybeemployed. Preferably the inner face o fthe ratchet'wheel is provided,concentri'cally therewith, with suitably-spaced sockets 30 which, inthesuc- 'c essiv'e movements .of the 'ratchet wheel, are engaged by. aspring-pressed stud 31 mount: ed in the adjacent standard 24,1thusensuring the accurate position of the-ratchet wheel and also temporarilyholding it at rest. I j T'heend of each grooveoffthetransfer wheeladjacent the fork d1 extremity of its of the respective P111178, 10Hence the pins are successively advanced by' haft 23 having its bearingsin the shaft.

and hence dur- 7 contained'clothespin, is provided with a ratdialprojection or positioning member, such, for example, as a blade 32,which is of such width that the clothespin, when properly seated in thegroove, can be moved longitudinally of'the latter to cause; the legs ofthe pin-to embrace the projection. .In that casethe pin is supportedwiththe transverse plane of its slot positioned radially of the wheel,and,'in consequence, as each succeeding groove with its containedpinislocated at the bottom of the wheel, the horizontal pin, with thetransverse walls of itsslot. vertical: ly disposed, drops into the guidestructure. When the clothespins enter the succeeding I grooves of thetransfer wheel passing under the throat of the hopper, the transversewalls of the slots of the clothespinsar'e in various angularpositionswith relation to the; bodies of the respective clothespins, inconsequence of whichlsome of the clothespins may be in proper positionto permit them to be pushed directly :into embracing relationuwith theadjacent blades '32, while others: are. so disposedthat the extremitiesoftheir'legs abut against the opposing blades. Therefore, in faccordance with one form of. my invention, 1 provision is had to impartindependent rotation to the individual pins dinal axes andsimultaneously "urge them toward the adjacent blades during their i.downward travel in 'ple andefiicientmeans for this purpose comprises a.shoe 33 facedpwith rubber 34, :or other suitable frictional material,adapted to bear upon the clothespins while theyare being carried by thewheel after leaving the chopper." The shoe/is provided with sus enslonarms which shaft is preferably providedjwith a weight (or spring) loadedarm 37 operative to' maintain the face of the shoein frictional "contactwith the opposing Clothespins, thus tending to impartindependentrotation to thelatter. in I adjacent the end ofthe transferwheel from which the heads of the pins project, is a resilient camsegment'38 with which the heads of the successive clothesp inscontact-while theyare under t eindependent rotary influence'of thefriction shoe, which segment is formed and arranged to urge thec'lothespins longitudinally toward the opposite end of the transferwheel. 7 J

[In the independent partial rotation of the clothespins by the frictionshoe their forked ends are at once caused to pass and'escape theopposingendsof the blades, whereupon on theirlongitu- 35 which are affixed to apivot shaft-36 on the adjacent side of-thehopper,

th transfer wheel. I Simr their downward travel. Mounted the. action ofthe segment on the headsof the clothespins urges the-1n longitudinallyinto embracing relation with the blades." This done, the clothespinsescape the'shoe'and their heads ride'agains't a lower'fixed' cam segment39 which completes the movementof the clothespins longitudinally of thegrooves of the transfer wheel. The end of the wheel adjacent the blades32 is provided with an annulus 40 which serves as an end wall for thegrooves 22 and prevents endwise displacement of the forked ends of thepins.

The lower segment 39 is rigidly affixed to the adjacent standard 24, asat 41, and the upper segment 38 is pivoted to the top of the segment 39,as at 42, the upper segment thus being movable within limits toward andfrom the adjacent end of the transfer wheel. The segment 38 is normallypressed toward the wheel by means of a suitablydisposed spring 43, so asto present a yielding surface to the opposing pins. In the presentinstance the upper end of this segment 38 is provided with a lateralstud 44 which loosely extends through a perforated bracket 45 dependingfrom the hopper, the spring 43 encircling the pin and pressing againstthe segment and the bracket. If desired the segment 38 may be merely aspring plate affixed to the segment 39 or other fixture, but I preferthe construction described.

Suitable guard members are arranged adjacent the down going side of theperiphery of the transfer wheel so as to span the clothespins andmaintain them in their grooves during the passage of the pins from thehopper to the guide structure 11. In the present instance these memberscomprise arcuate metal strips 46 secured at their lower end, as at 47,to the guide structure.

In Figs. 5, 6, and 7 of the drawings is shown a modification of themeans for independently rotating and longitudinally moving theclothespins which are seated in the grooves of the transfer wheel. Inthis form each succeeding clothespin borne by the transfer wheel isrotated by a friction disk 340 at an interval of rest of the wheel. Thedisk is fast on a transverse shaft 48 having its axis parallel to and inthe same horizontal plane as the axis of the shaft 23 of the transferwheel, the former shaft having its bear- 'ings in spaced standardsadjacent the down going side of the wheel. One of these standards isindicated at 49. Also fast on the shaft 48 is a disk 50 having a facialcam projection 370 rotata de in the path of the heads of theclothespins. A sector gear 51 likewise fast on the shaft 48 meshes witha similar gear 52 fixed on the rock arm 27.

The parts just described are so constructed and co-operatively arrangedthat in the downward stroke of the rock arm 27 and its pawl 26 when thetransfer wheel is being advanced, a clothespin borne by the wheel ispositioned in the path of the friction disk 340, the co-acting sectorgears thus partially turning the shaft 48 in aclock-wise direction, asviewed in Fig. 5. In this movement of the shaft 48 the disks 340 and 50are partially rotated, the cam portion 370 of the latter beingpositioned away from the path of the head of the clothespin as thelatter approaches, as seen in Fig. 7. In the next succeeding upstroke ofthe pawl, while the transfer wheel is at rest, the co-acting sectorgears partially rotate the shaft 48 in a contra-clockwise direction,thus correspondingly rotating the disks 340, 50. Coincidentally the disk340 partially rotates the opposing clothespin, the cam portion 370 ofthe disk bearing against the head of the clothespin in a manner to urgethelatter longitudinally of the groove and into embracing relation withthe opposing blade 32, as seen in Fig. 6. In the next step of thetransfer wheel, the pin is fully entered in the groove by the contact ofits head with a fixed cam segment. 1

In Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings I have shown another modificationwherein a continuously rotating spirally-ribbed roll 341 of rubber, orother suitable friction material, is arranged to bear upon eachsucceeding clothespin while the transfer wheel is as in the previousmodification. This fast on a shaft 53 upper ends of a pair of swingingarms 54 which are pivoted to basal brackets 55, and a spring 56 which isaffixed to one of the arms and the adjacent standard 24 tends normallyto urge the arms and perforce the roll 341 toward the transfer wheel 21,thus maintaining the roll yieldingly in the succeeding clothespin as itis downward from the hopper Fast on one end of the shaft 53 is a sheave57 about which passes a belt 58 which may be driven from a suitablesheave on the main shaft of the machine. In its rapid rotation thespiral rib 342 of the roll 341 simultaneously rotates each succeedingopposing clothespin and urges it longitudinally into embrac ing relationwith the blade 32 at the forked end of the pin.

It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to theparticular constructions and organizations herein disclosed, as the samemay be variously modified without departure from the fair spirit of theinvention and the scope of the appended claims. Thus, for example, inone aspect of the invention, each positioning member may be movedlongitudinally instead of the partially rotating pin, in order tointerlock such member with the slot of the pin; and, in of theinvention, each positioning member roll is being carried by the wheel.

may be resiliently arranged to enter the slot of the partially rotatingClothespin, transversely instead of longitudinally of the latter.

Thls application has been substituted for my application Serial No.ruary 20, 1929.

I claim:

1. The combination of a movable transfer 'elementincludinga clothespinsupport and a 341,355, filed Feb at rest,

having its bearings in the and a resilient pressure member operativeagainst the head of the pin to urge the pin longitudinally toward andinto embracing relation with the positioning member.

11. The combination of a travelling element having a succession ofreceptacles for individual clothespins, each receptacle having apositioning member in opposed relation to the bifurcated end of aclothespin contained in the receptacle, and means for impartingindependent rotary motion to the succeeding pins about theirlongitudinal axes and simultaneously therewith longitudinally urging thepins toward and into embracing relation with the adjacent positioningmembers.

12. The combination of a travelling element having a succession ofreceptacles for individual clothespins, each receptacle having apositioning member arranged in opposed relation to the bifurcated end ofa clothespin contained in the receptacle, means for moving said pins toeffect the embracing relation of their bifurcated ends with the adjacentpositioning member, said means including a member operative upon thepins to impart independent rotary motion thereto about theirlongitudinal axes during the travel of said element, and a memberoperative to move the pins longitudinally toward the adjacentpositioning members.

13. The combination of a wheel element having a succession of peripheralreceptacles arranged and adapted to support individual clothespinslongitudinally of the axis of rotation of the wheel, a positioningmember in each receptacle, means for supplying a clothespin to eachsucceeding receptacle with the forked end of the pin in proximity to thepositioning member, and means for imparting independent rotary motion tosaid pins about their longitudinal axes and simultaneously urging themlongitudinally toward and into embracing relation with the adjacentpositioning members.

14. The combination with a guide structure for forked clothespins, andmeans for advancing clothespins in said structure, of mechanism forsuccessively delivering clothespins to and longitudinally of saidstructure, said mechanism comprising a movable transfer element having asuccession of receptacles arranged and adapted to support individualclothespins, each receptacle having a positioning member for the forkedend of a clothespin, means for actuating the said element and theclothespin-advancing means in timed relation, means for supplying aclothespin to each succeeding receptacle with the forked end of the pinadjacent the positioning member, and means for imparting independentrotarv motion to the pins about their longitudinal axes andsimultaneously urging the pins longitudinally toward and into embracingrelation with the adjacent positioning members preparatory to thesuccessive delivery of the pins to the guide structure.

15. The combination with ture for forked clothespins, and means foradvancing clothespins in said structure,of mechanism for clothespins toand structure, said mechanism comprising an intermittently rotatablewheel having its axis of rotation parallel to the guide structure andhaving a succession of peripheral receptacles arranged and adapted tosupport individual clothespins parallel with the axis of the wheel, apositioning member for each receptacle, means for actuating the wheeland the clothespin-advancing means in timed relation, means forsupplying a'clothespin to each succeeding receptacle with the forked endof the pin in proximity to the positioning member, and means forimparting independent rotary motion to the pins about their longitudinalaxes and simultaneously urging the pins longitudinally toward and intoembracing relation with the adjacent positioning members preparatory tothe successive delivery of the pins to the guide structure.

16. The combination with a guide structure for forked clothespins, andmeans for advancing clothespins in said structure, of mechanism forsuccessively delivering clothespins to and longitudinally of saidstructure, said mechanism comprising an intermittently rotatable wheelhaving its axis of rotation parallel to the guide structure and having asuccession of peripheral receptacles arranged and adapted to supportindividual clothespins parallel to the axis of the wheel, a positioningmember for each receptacle, means for actuating the wheel and theclothespin-advancing means in timed relation, means for supplying aclothespin to each succeeding receptacle with the forked the path of theclothespins borne by the wheel and operative to impart independentrotary motion to the pins, and a pressure member operative against theheads of the pins to urge them longitudinally toward and into embracingrelation members preparatory to the successive delivery of the pins tothe guide structure.

17. The combination with a transfer element for forked clothespins,comprising a carrier having a succession of receptacles arranged andadapted to receive and support clothespins in spaced parallel rela-jtion and a positioning member in each receptacle arranged and by thelegs of the contained pin, ofmeans for supplying clothespins to therespective receptacles, and means whereby the forked end of the pin ineach receptacle is positioned a guide strucsuccessively deliveringlongitudinally of said with the positioning adapted to be embraced andsupport relation, eachpf said receptacles having a tacles and for movingthem toward thenposn V I k mov ng sa d'..-pinslongitudinally over -saldto embrace the adjacent positioning member, 7 18. A" transfer elementfor Clothespins, comprising a carrier having asuccession of; receptaclesarranged and adapted to receive and support clothespins in spacedparallel relation,each of said receptacles having a positioning memberadapted to be embraced by the legs of the contained pin Q l9. A transfer[element for Clothespins, comprising aheel having .a succession ofperipheral receptacles arranged andadapted to support individualClothespins longitudinally of-the axis of rotation ofthe wheel, each ofsaid receptacleshaving'at oneend a po- 7 Isitioning member adapted to.be embraced i by the legs ofthe'containedpintx 20. Astransferelement-for Clothespins,-

" comprising {a carrier having'a succession'of;

receptacles arranged and adapted to receive clothespins inyspacedparallel positioningmemb'er {adapted tobe embraced y the legs of thecontainedpin, means for movingthe carrier, and a single means'forrotating the success ve pins in their receptioning member therein.

21. A transfer element for clothespins,

comprising a Wheel'having a succession of pe-' ripheral receptaclesarranged and adapted,

to. support individual clothespinslongitudinally ofthe axis of rotationof the wheel,'each I a of said receptacles v ingthe successive pins inmember therein.

T In

' gmember,

f roll.

comprising a carr er *membertherein.

5'pins in a predetermined having at one end a vpositioning memberadapted to be embraced by the legs of the contained pin, means formoving the carrier, anda single means for rotat- 7 their receptacles?and 'for moving them toward the positioning v ement "for, 'clothespins,having a succession of receptacles arranged and adapted to receive andsupport Clothespins in spaced parallel relation, -each of saidreceptacles having a ositioning member 1 adapted, to be embraced y thelegs of the and means for moving-the contained pin means for of supply,comprising a transfer ilelement 'ar-;-

ranged to receive the pinsfbroadside, means for moving thetransferelement, means for; positioning the slots the pins in a predeterminedposition on the transferrelernent,

Wire applying station. or 25. Feeding meansjfor pins in a predeterminedforcing Wire app delivering clothes-' pos tlon to a rein-- ymg stationfrom a'source pins lbroadside from thesource ofsupply, means for thenmoving the pins successively in anendvvise mannerjto the wire applyingstation, andmeansfor positioning the legs ing a predeterminedmannerduring their movement from one-station to? the other. Y

pins endwise to the I I5. ofisupplyrcomprisingmeansfor moving the v26.Feeding means vzfortdelivering clothespinsin a predeterminedjposition toa rem-g forcing vv 'e ap ly ng stationfrom a source of supply,comprising a transfer element ar-'' ranged to receive the pinsbroadside, means for moving the I transfer element, means; for

positioning the. slots inthe pins in a predeterminedposition on thetransfer element, means for engaging said; slots and means for:

slot engaging-means;- a'ndmeans for moving; the pins endvvise to tion. I

Stateof A.D. 1930. a r i, a y JOHN'RQ-NOLANQ moving thecarrier, androtary means forro tating the successive pins'in their receptacles andfor moving .themtOwaTdthe; positioning 23 A transfen element forclothe'spins; 7

comprising a'carrier' having a succession of '7 receptacles arranged andadapted to receive spaced parallel relation,-each ofsaid receptacleshaving a r positioning member I p iby'the, legsof the containedpin,*means for wmoving the carrier,

' -for moving them toward thepositioning we for rotatingthe spiraladapted to be embraced.

7 a'spiralrollfor rotating the successive; pins in theirreceptacles andr and means 5 24; 'Feeding' means delivering clothes: i a I position" toa rein-"1' i L 'forcing wireapplyingstation'from-asource fj thegvvireapplying Sta-.

- Signed at NewdYlork'in the county and New York this 19th day ofMarch pup l

